livinglegend:
First of thanks Jack don't know if I am full of good advice of full of it, but I want to respectfully dissent on going to Yale opposed to a California school.

Here is the analysis on my point please bear in mind I am writing this post for a URM with 3.82 and 169, which is in about the top 5% of applicants. Most people are not choosing between Stanford, Yale, Boalt, and I was nowhere near these schools, but I am fully employed lawyer.

Onto the analysis If you want to work in the Bay Area then go to Stanford or Boalt opposed to Yale. The reason is there are thousands of not millions of alumni from Stanford & Boalt in the Bay Area they went to school there, made friends there started businesses there, etc and people generally side with their Alma Matter opposed to somewhere else.

More importantly remember that law school is 3 years and New Haven Connecticut and the California Bay Area are very different places economically, politically, culturally, and highly different weather. At a minimum you will spend 3 years at X location so make sure it is a fit for you even if Yale is #1 opposed to Boalt at #8 or something your personal preferences matter far more than what some unregulated for profit magazine like U.S. News thinks.

Maintain FL 350:
I agree that, as a general rule, it makes sense to go to law school in the state in which you intend to practice. That said, I think a Yale degree (or Harvard/Columbia/Stanford etc) is nationally portable. There is probably some advantage to a Stanford or Boalt degree in the Bay Area, just as there is probably some advantage to a Penn degree in the Philadelphia area. Nonetheless, all of those degrees are considered elite, and an applicant with such a J.D. will likely be able to find employment anywhere.

livinglegend:
Absolutely, but I think often when you spend 3 years somewhere life gets in the way and if you meet a girl in Boston while attending Harvard even if you get offered a great job in L.A. you might end up in Boston. Not to mention law school is three years in the prime of your life so you should attend school in a location you enjoy, but I don't think attending any of the schools mentioned will limit your potential employment, but I personally think there is a lot more to life than potential job propsects, which is something I think many OL's don't consider until it is to late.

Maintain FL 350:

--- Quote from: livinglegend on February 06, 2013, 02:27:00 AM ---but I personally think there is a lot more to life than potential job propsects, which is something I think many OL's don't consider until it is to late.

--- End quote ---

Well said, I agree. Admittedly, I'm biased in favor of California. If I had those kind of numbers I wouldn't spend three years slogging through the snow in Chicago or Boston. I'd soak up the sun in Palo Alto.